Means for resetting bowling pins



Sept. 4, 1951 G. HUMBER MEANS FOR RESETTING BOWLING INS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 19, 1946 m5 Arrow/5r INI'ENTOR. 'asmvz #VMJER P 4, 1951 G. HUMBER 2,566,987

MEANS FOR RESETTING BOWLING PINS Filed Feb. 19, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 4, 1951 G. HUMBER MEANS FOR RESETTING BOWLING PINS 3 Sheet sSheet 5 Filed Feb. 19, 1946 I I I I HIS ATTQANEY mm m w w m. a

i atented Sept. 4, 1951 UN [TED "S TAT -ES PAT OFFICE 2,566,987 MEANS FOR'RESETTINGBOWLIFNG'PINS Gustave Humber, Los: Angeles; Calif.- Application relimary 19, 19-46, serialnoreraeof Claims-. (01. 273-45) This invention relates to a game device-and particularly to a bowling alley Wherein','after*the balls are rolled, the bowling pins knocked over may be accl'i'rai'iely stationed with respect to each other'a'nd set in' an upright'position' by the player from the playing'end of'th'e alley.

A- bowling alley requires "a player and an ac complice, known as a pin boy, as 'itrequir'es time and is inconvenient to 'traveltoth'e far end of'the' alley to setup the pins. This invention therefore contemplates the use o'finstrumentalities' where' by the pins may be returned to their upright positions. H

For accurate or skillful playing, it is also-re-' quired thatthe' pi'nsb'e e'x'a'ctly positioned', and to accomplish this purpose; the device'of this invention includes pilot' pins in the tenpins that may readily be drawn" outward to extend for a snug fit in openings in the floor of the alley whereby, with the openings in' their c'o'rrec't positions', the pins wi1l"be returned to theirexact positions. 7

In bowling, it is" desired that the-pins have considerable freedom of movement so'that they may not onlybeknocke'd over" but'may'rollfreely and therefore, where the pins are" attached to cables, it is essential that considerableslack be provided in the cablesan'd also that meansmust be provided for taking" up the slack when the cables draw the pinsto their upright positions.

Tenpins are comparatively heavy'and' as all'o'i the pins maybe knocked down atone time considerable force is required to return the pins-to their upright positions. For thisreason the invention includes a pressure cylinder whereby fluid under pressure is applied to a' piston for operating the pin" returning means.

Various devices havebeen provided for mechanjically returning" tenpins'to their upright positions, both from above and below thea'lley, but

any device that'holds'the pins'from above causes interference with the movement of thepi'ns and devices now in use that operate'through holes-in the floor of the alley do'not'return the pins to their exact positionsor do not provide freedom of movement. of thepins;

The object of this inventionis to definitely locate the pins by drawing locating device's'f'rom the interior ofthe pins'throughreceiving openings in the floor and then releasing 'these'devices so that they may be returned'by resilient means to positions inside of the pins. 4

Another object is to provide 'a" frame which may be connected through cable's" orthe' like to each pin so that all of the pins may be returned in unison tothei'r upright positions;

With these and'other".objects in: view, th'efinvention embodies'a' bowling alley having a floor provided' with openings adj acent one end there'- s of; and bowling pins positioned adj a'cent "each "of the-openings inth floo niearis resilientlyheld'in:

the-pins adapted-t6 fgr'Sti- -wi-tlh the said-open ings; meanserawi ag the pi theinupright' pbsifii 'iih fihe lbeating means extending threug'lithdofiemngs'; and means relea sing the--pin emrrfingimeansa Fe! 21- full and-m6??? cdfifflefi 'ufidel standing Of theinvention; rel e had to the fol-' lowing description-and accompanying drawings,- wherein-:-

Figure 1 is aview Show g a -sideelev'ation' of the bowling a-lley use rt's bfoken-away sh'oW-' ing the-iritIf-ibrbbfifififllbti I1. I

Figure 2--is an' erid eievauen looking-towards the f'a'r end of the bdwlinglalley} Figure 3 is a plan view showing the'faror-rear end of the bow'ling' alley'witEtlie forWard or playihgeri'dbroken away? Figure 4 i's a ri enlarged detail illustr atingthe interior-eenstri1(3l7l6fi --df fihe' pills and: showing a mo di'fie'd form in a "dperatin qever is positioned at the backwof the ley'l Figure 5 is a detail; showing a 1 side" view of the far end of -the aue" 'i-llustrati ng' the 'construction of the ball returning ans z Figure? illustrates 21?dbfil'pfessiorieylinder--f0r operating the pin set uf) -ahdfi lriall return nieans.

Figure 8 is a dia'gi V niatid iew illiistfating a typical *layout o'f thepin feturn andset up mechanism.-

Figure Q is" a detail showing a section through the namei11ustratew-in-Figure fii showing -a clamp -for=holding tlie framef 'Fig: 10 1s a diagrammatic View, similar to Fig. e' andshowiiig mariually operable means-for. o erating the' 'piri retiirnZa set-up" mechanism;

Fig'E 11 is a viewsiiii o Fig -l l fl and showing the manual -o'peration' 'oi -tlie me'chmhi'srh' depicted in Figa' 4;

Referringnow to'the drawings wherein like referencecharacters-dc oriespoiicling parts, the bowling alleyfis' provided withafloor l B; having apanel H atthe tar" end: an operating lever |'2 at the iayihg'enq; anri iiis I- that may be positioned-on-jthe floor ape ient distance from the playing end on'fi'o'm' th pena The pins! 3} as illustrated iri l igiire 4,- are pro- 'v'i'd ed with'metaldiisertsWade d te be held in tionfindica'tedby the diitteil' li springs 2'0. 'Ihe outer ends I o -the pilet pins are pointed to facilitate e ii'tifanc'e thereof into openings" 2 ill th fibdi HI 0'1 th biiwlihg' alley.

The openings 22 are only slightly larger than the pins so that as the pilot pins are drawn downward into the openings, as shown in Figure 4, they will definitely locate the pins [3 over the openings and therefore, in their correct positions on the floor of the bowling alley. After the pins are in position, the pilot pins are released so that the springs 26 may draw the pins upward to the position indicated in dotted lines, and the points 2! will be above the surface of the floor of the alley. With the holding means released, the pins are free to be knocked over to the position indicated by the dotted lines.

Cables 23 are connectedi to the points 2| pilot pins of each of the tenpins, and these cables are, connected to a common element 24 through springs 25. The element 24 may be directly connected to'a pressure cylinder 26, shown in detail in Figure '7, or this may be directly connected to an operating lever or any means by which it may be manually drawn away from the pin openings in the floor of the alley, as shown in Fig. 11. The means secured to each of the cables 23 for exerting a force to pull each of the pilot pins [8 into the adjacent opening in the floor ID to accurately station each of the bowling pins in an upright position over the adjacent openings comprises springs 25, element 24, rod 85, and lever 81. This means may also include the pressure cylinder 26.

In the designs shown in Figures 4 and 8, the member 24 is positioned in a stationary frame 2'! that is supported in clamps formed by a base plate 28 and a clip 29, as shown in Figure 9, and the cables 23 pass over rollers 36 mounted in brackets 3| through shafts 32, with the brackets on cross members 33, 34, 35, and '36.

In the design shown in Figure 8, the member 24 is formed with an extending tongue 37 slidably mounted at the point 38 in the frame 21, and the outer end of the tongue is pivotally connected to a lever 36 at the point 48. The lever 39 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 42 at the point 4|, and the long end is connected by a cable 43, which extends around pulleys 44 and 45 to a lever 46 at the point 41, and the lever is pivotally mounted at the point 48.- The lever 46 is illustrated in full lines in the position wherein the cables and springs are in tension, at which time the pins have been drawn from their knocked over positions to their upright positions and are standing over the openings, as shown by the full lines in Figure 4. When the lever 46 is released and moves to the position indicated in dotted lines, the cables 23 and 43 will be slack so that the pilot pins [8 may move upward in the pins [3 to free the pins for the next play. In this movement, the lever 39 moves to the position indicated in dotted lines with the cable 49 connected to the opposite end thereof, and also to the opposite end 55 of the lever 46 through pulleys 5| and 52, permitting the lever 46 to assume the same position. The cable 49 is held in tension by a spring 53 connected to the short end of the lever 39 and to the stationary frame 21.

The lever 46 is pivotally attached at the point 54 to the piston rod 55 of the pressure cylinder 26, shown in detail in Figure 7, and, as pressure is applied to the end 56 of the cylinder, the piston 5'! will move toward the opposite end, thereby moving the piston rod 55 and lever 46 from the dotted line position of the lever 46 to the position indicated in full lines. The lever l2 upon being pulled from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Figure 7 causes the piston of the 51 to go to the end 56 of the cylinder 26. In this position the pilot pins [3 are inthe openings in the floor It as shown in Figure 4 and the bowling pins have been drawn to an upright position and the cables 23 are taut. Upon the lever l2 being moved from the dotted line position to the full line position shown in Figure 7 the piston 5'! goes to the end 61 of the cylinder 26. In this position the pilot pins I8 have been withdrawn from the openings in the floor [6 and by reason of the springs 28 said pilot pins have been drawn to a position' completely within the respective bowling pins, and the cables 23 are slack.

The pressure cylinder 26 is controlled by a pump 58 operated by a'motor 59 with the discharge end of the pump connected by pipes 60, 6! and 62 to a distributing chamber 63, and from the chamber 63, the fluid under pressure, passes to the opposite ends of the cylinder 26 through passages 64 and '65, which are opened and closed by a slide valve 66. The slide valve is illustrated as being in the neutral position, and it will be noted that as it moves toward the end 61 of the cylinder the passage 65 will communicate through a central opening 68 to a return connection 69 and thereby through a reservoir 10 to the suction of the pump 58 through pipes l I, I2, and 13. At the same time, the opening 14 in the slide valve will connect the passage 64 to the pressure chamber 63, so that pressure will be admitted to the end 56 of the cylinder, thereby causing the piston 51 to move toward the opposite end. The pressure cylinder is controlled by the operating lever l2, and it will be noted that as the lever is drawn backward or from the full line position to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure '7 a button will engage a contact 16 closing a circuit to the motor 59 through wire 11, whereby pressure will build up in the system. As the lever l2 continues to move, a trip 18 will engage a stop 19 on the piston rod 55 drawing the stop against a shift lever pivoted at the point 8|, and the opposite end thereof will draw a valve rod 82 of the slide valve 66 backward through a member 83, thereby opening the end 61 of the cylinder to the discharge and admitting pressure to the opposite end, which will return the piston and operate the lever 46 as described. As the lever 46 reaches the position indicated in dotted lines, a stop 84 on the piston rod, which will be in engagement with the end of the lever 88, will have moved the lever a sufficient distance to return the slide valve 66 to the position shown in the drawing or neutral position, and during this movement, the stop 19 will engage the trip 18, and, through the rod 85, draw the lever [2 to the position in full lines in Figure 7-. The trip :8 is engaged by a spring 86 to hold the lever 42 in the full line position shown in Figure '7. In the design shown in Figure 4, the operating instrumentalities are illustrated as positioned at the pin end of the bowling alley with the control lever 81 corresponding to the lever [2 connected to the rod 85, and by this means, the pins may be set up by an accomplice or pin boy. In this design, the pressure cylinder 26 is controlled by a pump 58 operated by a motor 59 similar to corresponding parts in the design shown in Figure 7.

In the design shown in Figure 1, the pilot pins ll! of the pins l3 are connectedto cables 88 which pass over rollers 89, and the cables are connected through springs similar to the springs 25 to a member 90 similar to the member 24. The member 90 is provided with an extension 9| that is tioned in the recess in each of said bowling pins forlongitudinal slidable movement therein and having one end positioned adjacent said one end of said bowling, pin, a plurality of cables positioned below said floor and having one of their ends secured to said one end of the adjacent one of said pilot pins, the other end of each of said cables extending toward the other end of said floor, a roller element dependingly supported from said floor adjacent each of said openings and adapted for bearing engagement with the adjacent one of said cables, means secured to said other end of each of said cables for exerting a force to pull said one end of each of said pilot pins into the adjacent opening in said floor to accurately station each of said bowling pins in an upright position over its adjacent openings,

and resilient means circumposed about each of said pilot pins and urging the latter toward the other end of the adjacent bowling pin to pull the pilot pins out of the adjacent openings in said floor and into a position within the adjacent bowling pin. a

4. In a means for resetting fallen bowling pins in a bowling alley having a floor provided with openings adjacent one end thereof and fallen bowling pins positioned adjacent each of said openings upon said floor, each of said bowling pins being provided with a recess extending inwardly from one end thereof, an insert positioned in the recess in each of said bowling pins and secured to the adjacent bowling pin, a pilot pin positioned in each of said inserts for slidable movement longitudinally in the adjacent bowling pin and having one end positioned adjacent said one end of the adjacent bowling pin, a plurality of cables positioned below said floor and having one of their ends secured to said one end of the adjacent one of said pilot pins, the other end of each of said cables extending toward the other end of said floor, means secured to said other end of each of said cables for exerting a force to pull said one end of each of said pilot pins into the adjacent opening in said floor to accurately station each of said bowling pins in an upright position over its adjacent opening, and resilient means circumposed about each of said pilot pins and urging the latter toward the other end of the adjacent bowling pin to pull the pilot pins out of the adjacentopenings in said floor and into a position within the adjacent bowling pin.

5. In a means for resetting fallen bowling pins in a bowling alley having a floor provided with openings adjacent one end thereof and fallen bowling pins positioned adjacent each of said openings upon said floor, each of said bowling pins being provided with a recess extending inwardly from one end thereof, an insert positioned in the recess in each of said bowling pins and securedto the adjacent bowling pin, one end of said insert being provided with a flanged head having a central opening, said one end of said insert being positioned adjacent said one end of the adjacent bowling pin, a pilot pin positioned in each insert for slidable movement longitudinally in the adjacent bowling pin and having one end positioned adjacent said one end of said bowling pin, each of said pilot pins being provided with a head on the other end thereof, a plurality of cables positioned below said floor and having one of their ends secured to said one end of the adjacent one of said pilot pins, the other end of each of said cables extending toward the other end of said floor, means secured to said other end of each of said cables for exerting a force to pull said one end of each of said pilot pins into the adjacent opening in said floor to accurately station each of said bowling pins in an upright position over its adjacent opening, and resilient means circumposed about each of said pilot pins and having one end bearing against the head of each of said pilot pins and having its other end bearing against the flanged head on the adjacent insert, said resilient means urging the adjacent pilot pin toward the other end of the adjacent bowling pin to pull the pilot pins out of the adjacent openings in said floor and into a position within the adjacent bowling pin.

GUSTAVE HUMBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 65,739 Fowler June 11, 1867 160,900 Hamlin Mar. 16, 1875 559,352 Becker May 5, 1896 624,807 Howard May 9, 1899 664,016 Downey Dec. 18, 1900 709,802 Shipman Sept. 23, 1902 809,715 Miller Jan. 9, 1906 1,063,983 Lawrence June 10, 1913 1,196,992 Smith et al Sept. 5, 1916 1,911,436 7 Cone May 30, 1933 2,017,796 Freytag Oct. 15, 1935 2,019,607 Hedenskoog Nov. 5, 1935 2,109,638 Hawley Mar. 1, 1938 2,188,740 Reitschel Jan. 30, 1940 2,194,146 Kaiserman Mar. 19, 1940 2,237,208 Abate Apr. 1, 1941 2,242,069 Heiniger May 13, 1941 2,250,690 Wilsey July 29, 1941 2,346,189 Schmidt Apr. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 155,152 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1932 

